


The perfect Future

by deanisbiandsoami



Category: Reign (TV)
Genre: Angst, Childbirth, F/M, Fluff, General cuteness of Francis and you know babies, I promise, No one is in pain, Pregnancy, Some sexy times, happiness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-06
Updated: 2016-08-06
Packaged: 2018-07-29 17:28:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,275
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7693159
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deanisbiandsoami/pseuds/deanisbiandsoami
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Francis returns to the castle in time to save Mary from being raped.</p><p>(and then I kind of went wild with the happiness... it's ridiculous and unrealistic but they're HAPPY!!!)</p>
            </blockquote>





	The perfect Future

**Author's Note:**

> I have noticed a definite lack of Fluff and happiness in Frary fanfics and I decided to rectify that...

"Where is the king?" Mary had asked herself this often enough. She didn't even have to lie to protect her husband this time.

"I don't know." She said. Her heard was beating in her throat and she could feel fear seep into her veins but this was not the time to break or start shaking. She had to stay alert, find a way to get herself out of here. If she could only make a break for the tunnels…

"Where is the king?" The man just repeated this time louder. 

"I don't know!" Mary called back. "He's not here!" She added and felt the intruder behind her tighten his grip. 

"I don't believe-" The man in front of her started but he was interrupted by the door bursting open, Francis and Bash charging in. 

"Francis!" Mary called. She saw her husband glance at her, looking her up and down to check for injuries before he looked back at the two men now drawing their swords. 

"Release the Queen at once." Francis commanded. 

"The catholic bitch is as much at fault as you." The man standing in front of Mary said. Both Francis and Bash charged forwards quickly, years of training to fight paying off and enabling them to surprise Mary's assailants. Bash drove his sword into the chest of the man closer to the door while Francis charged at the two men close to Mary. The man holding her threw her to the side and she felt the dagger cutting her skin just above her collar bone as she fell to the ground. She turned to watch the fight, seeing Bash join Francis and soon the two men fell to the ground and Francis dropped his sword, hurrying to Mary's side. 

"Are you alright? You're bleeding!" Francis said, one hand finding ist way into her hair. 

"It's just a cut." Mary said. "I am alright." 

"I will get you a physician anyway. Bash, get the blade and check it for poison." Francis commanded. 

"I doubt they were intelligent enough for poison." Bash said but retrieved the dagger anyway. 

"I will get the physician." Francis said and started to get up. 

"Don't leave." Mary whispered, grabbing his forearm. "It's just a surface wound… it will just need to be washed and bandaged, please stay with me. We can send for a physician." Francis nodded. 

"Let's just get you away from the bodies." Francis said and he helped Mary up. She held on to him tighter than she did in weeks and he did too. 

 

"You know, I can't stop asking myself-" Francis started, his fingers were softly trailing down Mary's neck as she rested next to him in bed. His fingers stopped on her bandage. "What if Bash and me had been slower in our return?" 

"Don't think about it." Mary said. "I've been asking myself the same but you did come to my rescue in time. As you always do." 

"When I realised what had happened here… I feared I was already to late, that I'd lost you. And the thought alone hurt more than I ever thought I could hurt. Mary, I have not been the husband I wish I could be and I am so very sorry. I just wish this could be easier." Francis said. 

"Just a boy and a girl?" Mary asked, moving a little closer to her husband. 

"Yes." Francis said. "Not King and Queen." He shook his head. "Not hiding so much from you." 

"Then stop hiding, stop lying to me." Mary said. "I know that you must have good reason to keep something from me but I promise you I will not love you any less regardless of what it is that you are not telling me. I will always love you just the same as I did the day I married you. And whatever secret it is you have will be safe with me. You know that." 

"I do, my beautiful queen." Francis answered, moving his hand up to tangle his fingers in her hair.

"Then what is holding you back because I am in plenty enough danger without this secret and I don't think this distance between us keeps me any safer." Mary said. Francis licked his lips and nodded. 

"You are right." Francis said. He took a deep breath. "Bash and I were gone so long because we were taking care of the leverage Narcisse had over me." He saw a frown draw Mary's brows together. "He has been blackmailing me, making me follow his politics, his Lords." 

"What kind of leverage?" Mary asked. 

"Lord Montgomery was held by Narcisse and at his command he would confess that it was not him who jousted against my father… but me" Francis said.

"Why would he such a thing?" Mary asked. "Lord Montgomery was pardoned he has no cause for animosity towards you." 

"He would merely be speaking the truth. I realised that to take England my father would have to wed you and to do that he would have to kill me. So I ended his life before he could take mine." Francis said. "It was me who jousted against him. Please, Mary, do not think me a lesser man because of this." Mary reached out to cradle Francis' face in her hands. 

"Of course not, my love." She said. "I know your reasons and I know that is must weigh horribly on your conscience. I understand that you had no other choice. If anything I think you're stronger but I wish you had told me sooner so you didn't have to carry this weight alone." Francis smiled at her. 

"If Narcisse had accused me of regicide and you had known you would've lost your head with me. I couldn't risk that." Francis said. Mary ran a hand through his golden hair. 

"I can look out for my head just fine." Mary said. "Though I do appreciate the thought." She grinned and Francis smiled cautiously before moving in to kiss her. 

"Never leave me." Francis whispered, hovering barely an inch from her lips. "Whatever stupid mistake I make next, stay with me right here." 

"I will." Mary answered and closed the distance. It was only a short while of kissing that had passed when Mary felt Francis' hands move lower over her neck to her shoulder, down her chest, cupping her breast for a moment before trailing even lower until her reached the hem of her night gown and let his hand slip underneath the fabric. Francis' mouth moved down as well, moving his kisses down her neck, pressing a gentle kiss to the exposed part of the bandage right above the cut. 

"I haven't had you in too long." Francis murmured into her skin, his hand now gripping onto her thigh in a firm yet gentle grip. 

"I agree." Mary said and her hands moved over Francis' back down to the seam of his tunic, pulling it over his head. She let her eyes drop to his now naked chest, lifting her hands to trail her fingers over the lines of his muscles. 

"Mary-" Francis breathed as she slowly untied the laces of his pants. "Don't torture me." He said with a grin, meeting her eyes. 

"Show me how much you love me." Mary said, her hands stopping their slow movement. "I want you to kiss every inch of my skin, make love to me like it's the first time." She whispered and Francis kissed her, his lips soft and gentle, barely there. 

"As you wish, my queen." He said in her ear, pressing a kiss to the skin below it. 

 

Francis was as gentle as their first night together but they both lasted much longer. Their lovemaking stretched far into the night up to the first rays of sunlight breaching the night from the horizon. 

"My sun, my life, my love." Francis whispered as he sent Mary over the edge. She clung to him, holding on as if he was the last thing holding still in the world. Her vision blurred and she let her head fall back into the pillows, her eyes falling shut in pleasure. She felt him push into her a few more times before she felt the familiar sensation of his seed flowing into her. 

She had laughed at herself once when she realised that she was following Catherine's suggestion of laying as still as possible but she couldn't find any part of her that cared in the moment. Francis was lying just a few inches too far away, on his side and watching her. She turned to him and shuffled herself towards him, feeling his skin against her own and his warmth envelop her. 

"I love you." She whispered into his chest. 

"I love you too." Francis answered, putting his arms around her and pulling her just a little closer. And if it meant that Mary's face was squished into his chest, well, who was she to care about that. 

 

Now back on the same page, Francis and Mary did their very best to quiet the quarrels between the Catholics and protestants. They managed to avoid more tragedies and attacks. Maybe they angered their Lords a little and the relationship between Francis and the Vatican may be under a little more strain but at least France was at rest. Their state religion still set as catholic but the protestants were no longer prosecuted at least not by any authority. It was the best they could have done without losing the roman support and they were both happy with their situation. 

What followed must have been some of the best weeks they had together without many troubles and with time flying as they enjoyed their reclaimed intimacy which made Francis even more suspicious when Mary seemed to frowning more than not in the past few days. 

"What troubles you as of late, my Queen?" Francis asked as they were settled into bed already, Mary in his arms with her back to him. 

"I- Nothing, I am just fine." She said but it was clear in her voice that she did not mean that. 

"Mary, you can tell me. Maybe I can help." He said. Mary lay still for a moment before she turned in his arms. 

"I am scared." She whispered and Francis frowned. 

"What happened?" He asked. Mary swallowed. 

"It's nothing bad… I just- I need you to remain calm right now, please." She said and Francis nodded. "Since you told me about everything… since that night, I have not-" She took a deep breath, closing her eyes for a moment. "I have not bled. Francis, I think I am with child." She said. "And I am so scared that I will lose it again. I just- I don't want to disappoint you again." Francis started shaking his head. 

"No, Mary, you never could." Francis said. "It was not your fault that you miscarried. I love you and I am confident that we will have a child together if it will work out this time or the next or both. I know that you will give me an heir and even if it takes years like it did my mother, I will never be disappointed in you. You can't control this any more than I can." He continued and Mary smiled, despite the tears that had started rolling down her cheeks. 

"Are you sure of this?" Francis asked. 

"Yes." She answered "But I don't- can we keep this a secret just for little while longer?" Mary asked. 

"Anything you want." Francis said. Mary smiled brighter now. "This is wonderful." Francis said and kissed her passionately. 

 

"Francis." Mary called. He hurried to his wife quickly. He'd been waiting for her at the door to leave for breakfast together. She was standing there in her underclothes with tears in her eyes.

"Is everything all right?" He asked, moving closer to her, cupping her face in his hands. 

"Yes, I- I don't fit into my dress." She said with a smile. Francis took a step back, sinking to his knees. "Look." Mary said, bunching her gown together at the back to pull it tightly around her body and there was indeed a small bump there. Francis looked up at her, seeing the joy in her face. He put his hands to her hips and leaned forwards to press a kiss onto her stomach. Mary laughed. 

"Oh-" They both looked up to see Kenna stand into the door of their chambers. "I'm sorry to intrude like this- Mary, are you-?" She cut off, looking from Mary to Francis still kneeling in front of her. "Why to see a king on his knees." Kenna grinned and Francis blushed, standing up at once. "Do you want to tell me something?" She asked then, looking back at Mary with a wide smile. 

"When we are all together. I guess breakfast is as good as any occasion." Mary said. Kenna positively squeaked and hurried out of their chambers. 

"You are ready then?" Francis asked, his arms wandering around her shoulders. 

"Yes, it seems more real now." Mary said and Francis kissed her. 

"I'll buy you the most beautiful dresses for expectant mothers." He said. Mary laughed. 

"For now less fitting dresses will be enough." Mary said. "But you'll get to spoil me soon enough." She added. 

 

"So what's got Kenna all excited?" Lola asked as Francis led Mary to the breakfast table. She was pleased to see all her friends there. She looked up at Francis.   
"This all yours to tell, my love." He said and Mary smiled, looking back at her friends. 

"I am with child." She said and Kenna squeaked again. She and Lola both jumped up and ran to hug Mary, pulling her out of Francis' hold. Bash smiled and got up much slower, walking up to his brother to congratulate him. 

"This is so amazing!" Kenna called. "I just can't wait! Oh! I can't imagine how beautiful this child will be! With these parents! My what parties Catherine is going to throw!" 

"Kenna." Mary said. "Please do not tell her yet." 

"What?" Kenna asked, her joy deflating a little. Francis looked over at Mary. Mary took his hand. 

"I am sorry but I don't know if I can handle Catherine's pressure yet. Though I doubt that it will be long until she notices… just let me have a few more relaxed days." Mary said. Francis squeezed her hand. 

"Of course." Lola answered and Kenna nodded, although she was pouting a little. 

"Alright, breakfast then!" Mary said cheerfully. "I think I could eat for years." She said and all of her friends laughed. Francis lifted their hands up to kiss her knuckles. 

 

"Is that really necessary?" Mary complained. She had started wearing maternity dresses and had just found out that Francis had doubled her guards. She had of course gone to find her husband at once. 

"Your usual guard is below what I would like my Queen to have but I know that you can protect yourself." Francis said and walked up to her, putting his hands on the sides of her rather large belly. "But you can't run as fast as usual and I don't think you can protect yourself as well as a few months ago. Mary, I only want to protect you and our child." 

"Fine then." Mary sighed. "But I don't like being followed around by a battalion of men! And you are really lucky that you're this handsome." She added and Francis kissed her briefly. 

"I love you too." He said with a smile and Mary rolled her eyes at him. "Rest." He said as Mary turned to leave him to his work again. 

 

They both held their breath as the midwife held their child for the first time. They felt their hearts soar as they heard the first soft cry. 

"Your majesties, you have a beautiful son." She said and Mary laughed, tears streaming down her face. She reached out her arms and the midwife handed her the new born. 

"Hello." Mary whispered, softly rubbing her thumb over the forehead of the small crying boy. 

"He is truly beautiful." Francis said and bent down to kiss Mary's temple. "Thank you." He whispered into her ear. Mary smiled ever wider. 

 

Mary only now understood what Lola had meant when she said that with every moment she spent with her son everything else seemed to fall away. She loved the hours she spent with her son more than anything else of her decidedly too busy life. 

"This is a sight I will never get tired of." Mary looked up to see Francis standing in the doorway of their nursery. She had just been singing Scottish tunes to her son. She was determined that her son would never forget that he was half Scott. 

"Did Bash have anything interesting to report?" Mary asked. Francis walked over to her, bending down to kiss his son's forehead. 

"Nothing of urgency." He said. "I would dare say that the French are as comfortable as they can be." 

"How wonderful to hear." Mary said and Francis nodded. 

"Indeed." He said. 

"Never have I wished to be just a man more than right now." Francis said.   
"And why is that?" Mary asked.   
"Because then I could spend every waking moment with my son." Francis said. Mary smiled. 

"I understand your angle." She said with a soft laugh, sighing happily as Francis slipped his arms around her waist, looking over her shoulder down into the crib.

"I did not think I could love anything or anyone more than I love you. But I was mistaken." Francis said. 

"You were already a father before." Mary said.   
"Yes but there were no months spent waiting in anxious joy, and there is always the shadow of me spending a night with someone else when I look at John." Francis said. "Don't misunderstand me, I love them both equally and I know that you have forgiven both me and Lola but with our son- he is the child of the woman I love." Francis said. 

"I hope the two of them will get along just like you and Bash." Mary said. Francis gave a soft laugh.   
"That is, if you didn't count the time I was going mad with jealousy as Bash was engaged to you." Francis said, Mary laughed too and turned to her King. 

"If our son grows into a man that can embrace a rival for the affection of the woman he loves into his life, I will be more than proud." Mary said. "I can't begin to make you understand how much I love you for letting Bash back into our lives." 

"I do understand." Francis said, running a hand through her hair. 

 

"Mommy!" was all the warning Mary got before her son jumped up at her, putting his arms around her neck. 

"James!" She called, stumbling a little. The weight of her five year old along with her belly really upsetting her balance. "Be a little more careful, please." She said. "What's got you all excited anyway?" 

"They haven't sounded the music yet but John and I were climbing a tree and we saw Daddy!" He called.   
"What?" Mary asked. Her husband had been away leading the defence of their border with Spain where rebels were pushing into France. He had been away for close to six months. He had left before she had an opportunity to tell him that she was with child once again. 

"We saw the riders! I'm sure it's dad's horse." James said. Mary smiled.

"Where is John now?" She asked. 

"He's run to tell his mum." James said and Mary nodded. 

"Go inside and clean up a bit, would you?" She said and set James down. He ran off towards the Castle. She sat down on the chair she had carried out here to watch the boys and Kenna's daughter play. What would Francis say? 

She jumped a little when she heard the signal and hurried to walk towards the road to greet her husband. 

 

She had just arrived when the first horses came to a stop. She saw Bash at the front, jumping off his horse to catch his daughter who was already running at him. Mary felt a sharp sting in her heard as she did not see Francis at once. That is until she searched the crowd for her son, seeing Francis hugging James and John. She smiled, she had always loved seeing him with his children. 

She swallowed when she saw Lola bend down to him and say something. Francis then looked up and met Mary's eyes over the crowd. He smiled widely and walked towards her. Mary swallowed hard when the last row of greeters parted for their king and he finally was able to see all of her, big belly and all. 

"Mary-" He gasped, his eyes fixed on her belly. 

"Francis, I am so sorry, you had to leave so quickly and I wasn't quite sure yet-" She started he just walked the last couple of steps and fell down onto one knee, putting a kiss to her belly before standing up again and pulling her into a passionate kiss. 

"You're pregnant." He said, still holding her face in his hands. She just nodded. "I love you." He said and kissed her again. Mary smiled and put her arms around his neck, pulling him as close as her belly would allow. 

 

"This just has to be the best thing I have come home to so far." Francis said as they were alone in their chambers. Mary smiled. 

"I was so worried… you left so quick after I fell pregnant and you were gone so long-" She started. 

"What? Were you worried I wouldn't believe that it is my child, you're carrying?" Francis asked. Mary bit her lip and nodded. He cupped her face again and kissed her. She loved these kisses he used to convince her of something. She always felt like she was the only person on the planet. 

"Mary Queen of Scotland, Queen of France and mother to my beautiful son, I would never accuse you of giving yourself to another man." Francis said. Mary smiled at him. 

"I love only you." She said, running her hands through his hair. "Francis!" She called as she saw a fresh cut just along his hairline. "You should see a physician!" 

"It is nothing." Francis said. "I just want to be with you right now. I have missed you so much." 

"I was so worried about you." Mary said and Francis pulled her into a close hug and she rested her head on his chest. "What would I do if you hadn't come back?" She asked. Francis caressed her hair. 

"Don't think about that, my love. I will always return to you." He said. Mary smiled and let herself melt into his soft warmth. 

"Good. Because I will kill you if you don't." Mary said and Francis laughed. 

"Threatening your king's life is treason." He said. Mary looked up at him. 

"Emphasis on my king here." Mary answered. Francis smiled.   
"Yes, I am yours." He answered. 

 

"You have a daughter." The midwife told them and Mary laughed. 

"This is wonderful." She smiled, taking the infant the midwife was handing to her. "My perfect baby girl." She whispered, looking at the small still crying child. She soon stopped crying and blinked her small eyes open. Mary's heart skipped a beat. "She has your eyes." She said, looking up at Francis who was still watching the little girl intently. 

"We have named our son after your father… let me name this child after my mother. " Francis said.

"Catherine is a beautiful name." Mary said and Francis leaned down to press a kiss to his wife's temple. 

"Catherine Marie Valois." Francis said and Mary looked up at him. 

"Hold her. I am very tired." Mary said and Francis gladly took the new born into his arms. 

"Rest, my love." 

 

"I can't believe how fast she is growing." Mary said. They were standing on a balcony, watching Cathy chase her older brothers around, all of them laughing. Her blond curls were flowing after her, gleaming golden in the sunlight. "With every day she looks more like you." Mary added and Francis' hand moved from the banister to Mary's waist. 

"She does." He said. "But she has your spirit." Mary looked away from her children and up to her husband. 

"Do you ever think about what would happen if anything was to happen to James?" Mary asked. Francis frowned at her.

"Don't think such dark thoughts, my love." Francis said. "And even if it does, you have proven that a female heir is in no way a curse." He added. Mary smiled. 

"I was just worrying, you know. If I have a boy again this time, would Cathy be jealous of him, would she feel robbed of her father's legacy, I have taught her to be independent." 

"What are you talking about, Mary?" Francis asked. Mary smiled at him. 

"I am pregnant." She said and Francis laughed loudly, pulling her into his arms and spinning her around. 

"Oh Mary that is magnificent news. I cannot wait!" He called and pulled Mary into a long kiss. 

"I think I have a small bump already… I don't know what it is, maybe it's that I've already given you two children but my belly seems to grow faster this time." Mary said. Francis pulled her into another hug. 

"I love seeing you with a baby belly." He said and Mary laughed. He pulled back and fell onto his knees as he had done every time he'd first learnt about her children and pressed a kiss to her belly. 

 

"Hold on, your Grace, we are not done yet." The midwife told her and Mary frowned. "You are having twins." Mary's eyes went wide. 

"I didn't dare believe it as my belly grew so big." Mary said and looked up at Francis. "Twins." She smiled. He beamed back at her. 

"Yes two wonderful boys, your grace, you need to keep pushing." Mary nodded and her hands found Francis' arm against as she pushed out the second boy. 

 

"What?!" Kenna called as Mary told her the names of her newest two sons. "Sebastian?" She asked.   
"Yes, we both care for him so deeply." Mary said. 

"So you're taking the name I had already picked should I have a son?" Kenna asked. Mary laughed. 

"You're not even pregnant." She said and Kenna rolled her eyes. 

"That's not the point." She answered. "But I am grateful, Bash will be honoured." 

 

"So what are you thinking about the Duke?" Mary asked. She and Francis were settled in bed and it was a perfect opportunity to discuss the deal, no one to listen in on them. 

"I don't know if I trust him." Francis said. Mary raised a brow. The duke seemed to be one of the most honest and good people she had met in a while.

"Are you saying that because of him or because his son was dancing with Cathy most of the feast?" Mary said. Francis licked his lips and glared at his wife. Mary laughed. 

"She is old enough to dance with whomever she likes, Francis and it was just dancing." Mary said. 

"Maybe but a Duke's son is no match for a princess!" Francis said. "Not my daughter anyway." 

"I like seeing you protective of our daughter but if her heart pulls her to the duke's son who are we to pry them apart?" Mary asked. "You know how strong love is and she is my daughter I can assure you she will love as deeply as I do." Francis sighed. 

"Yes I am afraid she will. I just hope she will be allowed to." He answered. 

"Yes, that would be a wonderful thing." Mary said, resting her head on Francis' chest. "Sometimes when I see you i just stop and wonder to think how it is that I was so lucky to fall for you." 

"I am definitely luckier that you fell for me." Francis said and Mary smiled. 

"So what do you think of the Duke? And not his son this time." Mary said. 

"He seems to be an honest man." Francis said. "I am sure he will be a most agreeable business partner." 

 

Mary hadn't run through these halls in a long time. She had never been this scared. 

"Francis!" She called, making her husband look up from the maps he and his advisors were studying. 

"I can't find Cathy." Mary said, her heart still beating as if she was sprinting. "And one of the servants saw the Duke's carriage leaving… I thought he was still staying, Francis, what if-" She stopped as a servant ran into the room as well, holding a note. Mary grabbed it and unfolded it, clapping a hand over her mouth as she did. Francis hurried to her side. 

"How dare he." Francis growled.   
"What is it?" Bash asked. Mary looked at him.

"The Duke was an imposter… he and his son kidnapped Cathy and they're- they're demanding a ransom for-" Mary cut off still shaking.   
"For her virtue." Francis finished the sentence. "This meeting is over, guards I want every available man follow the direction the carriage went." He commanded. 

"Search the Castle and the grounds too in case the carriage was merely a decoy." Bash added and Francis nodded in agreement. 

"We will find Cathy, nothing will happen to her." Bash said, walking over to put a hand to Mary's shoulder. Mary nodded.   
"Are you alright?" Francis asked when the room was cleared. Mary nodded. 

"I am scared but they will regret the day they were born if they touch a hair on my daughter's head. 

"There's my queen." Francis said and pressed a kiss to her cheek. "I'll join the search." Mary nodded. 

 

Mary hated this waiting. She would much rather be out there herself and find the men who dare to threaten her daughter. But her duty was here right now, to calm down her other children. 

Mary retired when she managed to put the twins to bed and had convinced that it was no use for James to join the search now. She went to Cathy's room instead of her own because Francis wasn't home anyway and she knew he wouldn't be until he had found his daughter. She had seen the resolve in his eyes when he had read the note. 

Mary had planned to just stay in this room for a few minutes and then move to her own bedroom to try to sleep but she must have fallen asleep. She woke up to the sound of someone opening the heavy wooden door. She sat up on the couch she had been lying on at once and looked up to see a guard open the door followed by Francis who was carrying a sleeping Catherine. 

"Francis!" She called, jumping up and walking to her husband and daughter. "What happened?" 

"Let me bring her to her bed. I will tell you everything when she is safely settled there." Francis said and Mary nodded, stepping aside to let her husband pass. She walked with him to the bed, stroking through Cathy's hair when Francis had gently laid her onto her mattress. 

"Did you get to her in time?" Mary asked, feeling Francis' hands around her waist. 

"It was a different group of men who found her which is why the imposters are imprisoned and not dead. Catherine was awake when they brought her to me and she said they merely held her locked in the carriage. No one touched her wrong." He said and Mary let out a breath she had been holding for a long time. 

"Oh thank god." She said. "My sweet girl." Francis held her tighter. 

"She is shaken but alright, my love." He said. Mary nodded and leant into his chest. 

"I want to talk to the imposters." Mary said. Francis licked his lips.   
"I will accompany you." Francis said. Mary nodded and they left their daughter's rooms, leaving the guards at every entrance, stationing one very trusted man at an entrance to the tunnels in her room. 

 

"Bring me the imposters." Francis said as they entered the throne room. Mary stood at his side as they waited. 

"My king-" The man who had pretended to be the Duke spoke up. 

"Not a word until I ask you." Mary cut him off. Francis looked over at her and smiled. Mary stepped towards the imposters, glancing from the old man to the young boy. 

"What are your names?" She asked. 

"My name is Mathieu and my son is called Luke." The man said. Mary nodded. 

"Alright, what were your reasons for taking the princess?" She asked them. 

"Your Graces, we are only humble farmers but my wife and eldest son was taken by the plague and our crops burned in the fires. We are starving and poor. I saw no way out to feed my son. I am certain that you understand the love of a parent-" Mary smiled sweetly.   
"How dare you speak of the love of parents when you made your son commit treason. When you threatened my daughter with worse than death." Mary started. "You have no right to talk to me about love. You will pay for your crimes." Mary said and looked back at Francis.

"I will not hold you back." Francis said. Mary smiled and looked back at the old man. 

"What you did was fraud. You lied to your king, you attacked your princess, you attempted to blackmail us, threatening violence against the crown. You will be executed and if you can remember the love of a mother you know that I am not lying when I tell you that I wish I could carry out the sentence myself." Mary said. She took a deep breath and turned to the boy. 

"How involved were you in the plans of your father?" She asked, her voice softer as if talking to her own children. 

"I don't-" he started and looked at his father. "I didn't know he threatened the princess. I only thought we were pretending to be the duke and his son… I thought father wanted the money of the trade." He said. Mary licked her lips and looked back at Francis. She moved back to his side.   
"I don't want to harm the boy. He could still have a full life. I don't think he meant anyone harm." Mary said. 

"You probably are right but he impersonated a noble and he knew what he was doing." Francis sighed. "We can't just let him go. I don't want to execute him." Mary thought for a moment. 

"A blacksmith in the village lost his assistant. He could work off a debt to the country of France." Mary said. "Give him a chance. A farmer's son surely can do manual labour." 

"You are amazing." Francis said. "I agree." He said. Mary turned back to the boy. 

"You will work with a blacksmith in the village who lost his assistant. You will repay what you owe this country with your service." Mary said and the boy bowed.   
"Thank you, your Grace, for showing mercy." The father said. Mary looked at him. 

"This is no mercy to you. I will not take a child's life not even threaten it. That is what a good person should do. Remember that in your last days what you were prepared to do to my daughter, understand what you did before you meet with god and he shall judge you." Mary said. The man nodded. "Take him back to the dungeon. Boy, come with me." Mary said, holding out a hand. 

Mary walked him to her chambers, accompanied by Francis who then wrote a letter to the blacksmith the boy was to take with him. 

"Did your father tell you to dance with the princess?" Mary asked as they waited for Francis to write the letter. 

"He did." The boy said. "But he didn't have to. The princess is very beautiful." Mary smiled.

"She is indeed." Mary said and watched Francis seal the letter. He stood up and turned to the guard at his door. 

"Take the boy and this letter to the blacksmith in the village." He commanded and the guard nodded, taking the letter. 

 

"You know, what you did today is why I love you." Francis said when they were finally settled into their bed. His arms firm around her where she was settled against his chest. 

"Being a Queen?" Mary asked. 

"Well yes. But mostly that you have always been fierce but never cruel. My mother would have sent the boy to his death but you gave him a life most likely better than he could have ever hoped for." Francis said. 

"He was just a boy." Mary said.

\--

"How can you let him do this?!" Cathy called, looking over at her mother who was still sitting in her throne. Francis had stood up as few shouted sentences ago. "How can you let him give me to some guy I don't even know like I'm some kind of prize. Do I mean nothing to you, mother?" 

"Do not accuse me of not loving you, Catherine." She said. "You are my daughter, I love you more than anything." 

"We both love you more than anything, my sweet Cathy." Francis said. "Why can't you see that this is what is best for our country. Your home." 

"Because I am not some kind of chess piece! How would you feel if your parents-" 

"If my parents had engaged me to the future king of France when I was four? When I didn't even understand what love was." Mary interrupted her daughter. She stood up and put a hand to her husband's shoulder, pushing him back down onto his throne. "I know how you feel. I wondered when I was six, how my mother could send me to another country without so much as a Scottish Governess. How could she just give me into the care of some distant friend? You need to understand that as women we need to serve our country in the way we can. Your brother serves this country with his sword and he will be king because that is what he was born to do. You however cannot do either of those things. I did not promise you to someone when you were just a child because I had the hope that we would not need to marry you off for some alliance. I hoped that could marry for love but this is crucial. You need to serve your country now." Mary said. 

"I don't want to marry someone I don't even know! You knew father all your life." Cathy said. Mary nodded. 

"I know, I was incredibly lucky that I was promised to one of the best men I know and I was even luckier that we found the love we have. But I promise you the man your father and me have chosen is a good man. I would not give my only daughter to someone unworthy of her. I know this is not ideal and it is not what wished for, my sweet daughter, but I am confident that you can be happy in this marriage, you can find love there." Mary said. Cathy nodded.

"Can I meet him first?" She asked. 

"Of course." Mary said and held out her arms. Cathy went to hug her mother and Mary pressed a kiss to her hair. 

 

"I am sorry we have to do this." Francis mumbled as Catherine had left the throne room. He put his arms around Mary's shoulders from behind. 

"I agreed it is what we must do for our nation." Mary said. "Yes I wish there would be another way but you don't need to apologise for this, my king." Mary said. 

"I know." Francis mumbled. "How is it that you got her to agree so fast?" He sighed. Mary chuckled. 

"Well first of all I haven't frightened all of the men who dare approach her, half to death. And also I know perfectly well what a girl in her position feels like." Mary said. 

"Our engagement was very different." Francis pointed out. 

"Yes." Mary said. "But my plan to marry Bash was not. My heart screaming at me to not even think about it, that that would be the greatest mistake of my life while my head told me that it was the only way to save everyone I care about." 

"You love Bash… or loved." Francis said. 

"I do care for him and maybe I loved him at that time but it was mere friendly affection compared to my love for you." Mary said, turning to look at her husband. "I would go to hell and back for you." 

 

"Catherine are you alright?" Mary asked. She'd just entered her daughters rooms just to check on her and found her lying on the bed. Cathy sat up and looked at her mother for a moment before letting her eyes drop to the covers again. 

"So what if it all works out, what if I am lucky enough to fall in love with him… I'd have to leave here." She said. Mary licked her lips and walked over to the bed, sitting down next to her daughter and putting a hand onto her arm. 

"You will, yes." Mary said and her daughter looked up at her. 

"I don't want to leave you." Cathy said. "I don't want to live somewhere where I have nobody." 

"Then take some of your friends with you as your ladies. It's helped me a lot." She suggested. "The truth is, I don't want you to leave. It pains me that I must send you away but you have to understand that I have always grown up the Queen. I always had the weight of a country on my shoulders. It is easier for me to sacrifice something because I know nothing else and that is why you are so fortunate."

"I know that, mother. I know how wonderful my life is, how privileged I am even under nobles. And I am grateful for it." Cathy answered. "You had another lady next to Lola and Kenna, didn't you?" Cathy said. 

"I had two actually. Aylee who unfortunately died and Greer." Mary said. 

"I meant Greer… she was married and moved, right?" Cathy asked with a hopeful look. 

"Do you want me to send for Greer and ask her to give you some advice?" Mary asked. Cathy nodded. "Alright then. I'll send a letter." Mary promised and Cathy surged to hug her mother. 

"Mom, how often did you see your mother after you married?" Cathy asked as Mary had already pulled away. 

"Just a few times but I will do my best to see you more often, as often as I can." Mary said and Cathy nodded. 

 

"Are we doing the right thing?" Francis asked as they watched Cathy and her fiancé walk out into the gardens. "Am I right in doing the exact same thing I resented my father for?" 

"Watch your words." Mary said. "You are talking about my marriage." She added and Francis smiled. 

"Obviously I am happy to be married to you. But are we right in taking Cathy's choice from her?" Francis asked. Mary sighed.   
"It is necessary." She simply said. "We shall hope that she will fall for him with time."

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for your precious time. I hope you enjoyed it and I shall boldly ask for one more moment of your day, please leave kudos or even a comment. They are greatly appreciated and nothing will go unread.
> 
> Thank you.


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